AT&T, HCA, U.S. Sugar in top three for lobbying expenses

Companies seeking to influence the Florida Legislature paid a median of $31,213,000 for the last quarter of 2015, according to data released Monday by the state.

That’s a $531,000 increase over the preceding quarter, but still less than the $34,890,000 paid in the first quarter and $35,696,000 during the second.

The 2015 Legislative Session overlapped those two quarters, and the Special session for the budget was in June.

The top three are AT&T, one of the world’s biggest communications companies; HCA Healthcare, the largest operator of for-profit health care facilities; and U.S. Sugar, the largest producer of sugar cane in the country. Of the top 30, eight others are in the health care industry.

Though state law requires the reporting of money spent on lobbying, it only requires it in general ranges, not in precise amounts.

Here are the top payors for legislative lobbying for October-December 2015 in median figures:

AT&T: $240,000

HCA Healthcare: $176,000

United States Sugar Corp.: $165,000

Florida Crystals Corp.: $155,000

Small County Coalition: $152,000

Automated Healthcare Solutions: $150,000

TECO Energy: $140,000

Seminole Tribe of Florida: $139,000

Florida Power & Light: $135,000

Dosal Tobacco: $120,000

Florida Medical Association: $120,000

Associated Industries of Florida: $110,000

Florida Optometry Eye Health Fund: $105,000

Florida Hospital Association: $105,000

Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida: $100,000

Auto Tag Management Group: $100,000

ALICO Inc.: $95,000

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office: $95,000

Florida East Coast Industries (FEC): $92,000

Miami-Dade County: $90,000

Nova Southeastern University: $90,000

American Traffic Solutions: $90,000

Shands Teaching Hospitals & Clinics: $90,000

Florida Cable Telecommunications Association: $90,000

Shands Healthcare: $ 84,000

Harris Corp.: $80,000

Broward County: $80,000

Florida Municipal Power Agency: $80,000

Florida Insurance Council: $80,000

Isle of Capri Casinos: $80,000

For a post on lobbying firms’ revenue for the end of 2015, click here.